A recent study found that suitcases and other travel bags carry significantly more bacteria than public toilet seats.
Swab tests conducted by travel insurer InsureandGo on luggage at London airports and train stations revealed that the surfaces of suitcases, especially the wheels and base, are crawling with microbes. The study, carried out in collaboration with microbiologist Amy-May Pointer, compared the bacterial load on travel bags with that on public toilet seats.
The results are not pretty. They will certainly make you think twice before tossing your suitcase onto the bed at home or in your hotel room. According to the findings, your luggage can carry up to 58 times more bacteria than a public toilet seat.
‘Suitcases, especially their wheels and bottoms, are germ magnets that can out-germ even a toilet’, Pointer told Travel + Leisure.
The bacteria identified included Staphylococcus, which is known to cause infections and food poisoning; Bacillus, which is linked to foodborne illness; and Serratia, which is typically harmless but can cause urinary tract infections (UTIs). This is an ironic twist for those who suffer from parcopresis or paruresis, or who have a phobia of public toilets.
The study revealed that the wheels are the dirtiest part of the suitcase, harbouring hundreds of bacterial and fungal colonies. The base of your luggage, a Bacillus kingdom, came second, especially in soft-shell bags, which absorb and harbour more bacteria than hard-case bags. Third place went to the handles, which were identified as the likeliest carriers of Staphylococcus.
While these findings shouldn’t put anyone off travelling, and studies on direct disease transmission from suitcase bacteria have yet to be published, there are simple ways to reduce your risk. As Pointer emphasises, basic hygiene steps can prevent these travelling microbes from sleeping or dining with you.
Here are some tips:
Storage racks: Always place your travel bags on the hotel’s luggage rack if one is available. If not, a useful trick is to cover the wheels with shower caps to prevent bacteria from spreading across carpets or bedding.
Avoid puddles: This is obvious but important, and sometimes unavoidable. Make sure you do not wade through rain puddles. As Pointer says, “the less gunk your wheels pick up, the less you have to worry about”.
Wash your hands: Just as you would after using the loo, you should also wash your hands after handling your suitcase. As Pointer reminds us, even if we haven’t directly touched the dirtiest surfaces, we actually have, especially when you factor in all the people who may have handled your luggage.
Wipe your bags: Cleaning the surfaces is another obvious step, but like the fridge, it is easy to forget. However, suitcases are easier and less time-consuming to clean. Use a disinfectant wipe on the wheels, base and handles.
Deep clean when needed: Many suitcases today have detachable wheels. Soak these in warm, soapy water and wipe them with bleach. Fabric bags can be wiped down with a damp cloth, and mould can be tackled with baking soda.
These tests were conducted in the UK. Results may differ in countries like Japan, where hygiene is taken to another level — train carriages are scrubbed between journeys, and public toilets often resemble the control panel of a Tesla.
